Shadows
by butterflie
Summary: Auron needs cheering up, and an eight year old Tidus has just the thing to do so. Pre-game. Genfic.


I started this while on a trip in Chicago for a concert (love you VNV Nation!) and finished it when I got back. Written for my really old 50episodes challenge on livejournal, where you write a scene based on a theme. This is for theme #10, cat.

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 **Shadows**  
 _butterflie_

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Eight year old Tidus was sitting on the edge of the dock, feet dangling over the water, stubbornly trying not to cry, although he was rapidly losing that battle. It was rather cold out, and he didn't have a jacket, but he didn't care even though he was shivering every so often. That wasn't why he wanted to cry though.

He missed his mom. She'd been gone for two months now, but it felt like so much longer. He didn't understand why she'd had to die. The old lady next door had been babbling something about lovebirds and mates the other day when she'd caught him crying for his mom, but it didn't really make much sense to him.

It just wasn't fair. His dad had finally left, it was supposed to be just him and his mom, happy together—why did she have to go too? Well, she hadn't been that happy, but if she'd just had more time, Tidus knew she would have been happy eventually. Now he just had Auron. And Auron was... strange. He wore those funny clothes, and he had that scar he tried to hide with his glasses, and he'd just shown up one day out of nowhere. Truthfully, Tidus didn't know much about him. He'd said he'd come from a place called Spira. Tidus had never heard of it—didn't even know there _was_ anything outside of Zanarkand.

The strangest thing about Auron, though, was how sad he always seemed. It reminded Tidus of how his mom had always been sad after his dad disappeared. At first he thought maybe Auron was sad because Tidus' mom had died, but then he realised Auron had been sad even before that, ever since he'd first showed up in Zanarkand, really. He wondered if maybe Auron had lost someone he cared about too.

He remembered once, when he'd been _really_ little, like five, he'd been sad because he'd lost his favourite toy. His mom had taken one look at him, sitting at the table and crying silently, and had said, "Well, we'll just have to cheer you up then!" She'd helped him get dressed and then took him out for ice cream and afterwards bought him a new toy. At first he hadn't thought it would work, but by the end of the day he'd realised he was happy again.

So clearly he just needed to cheer Auron up, like his mom had cheered him up. But how could he do that? Auron was a grown-up, grown-ups didn't have things like favourite toys. He might could take him out for ice cream... but he didn't have any money. And it didn't seem right to make Auron pay for his own cheering up present. So what else could he do? He didn't know what kind of things Auron liked. Auron never talked much about himself at all. He didn't even know the man's favourite food.

...Wait! He could cook Auron dinner! His mom had always liked doing that for his dad, and even though his dad was mean most of the time he always was happy when his mom cooked for him. So maybe he could find out what kind of foods Auron liked and then make them for him. Surely that would cheer Auron up! The more he thought about it, the more excited he got. He hardly even remembered that he had been sad about his mom. It was already working just for him, which meant it just _had_ to work for Auron.

While he was plotting on ways to find out Auron's favourite food, a stray cat wandered up to him, rubbing its side up against his back, meowing. "Hi kitty," he told it, briefly petting it as it curled around his side. "I don't have time for you today, sorry. I have to figure out what to cook Auron for dinner."

"Mrow," it said, butting its head against his leg. It had come around Tidus often enough to be friendly to him, having learned that Tidus would always pet it and occasionally give it scraps of food if he had any.

"Oh wait," he said, looking dejected as a thought suddenly occurred to him. "I don't know how to cook..." He felt like crying again. It had been such a great idea, he just _knew_ it would cheer Auron up, and now he couldn't even do it! Now how was he supposed to cheer Auron up? He didn't have any other ideas. Auron was going to be sad forever now! Life really wasn't fair. He didn't like it.

The cat head-butted him some more, clearly wanting more attention, but he ignored it, too caught up in feeling sorry for himself to pay it any mind. "Not now, kitty."

Bored, the cat sat back on its haunches, looking around for a moment until its attention was caught by a small beetle crawling along the dock. After watching intently for a few minutes, it pounced, thinking to claim prey. However, the beetle was quicker, and scurried out of the way. After a few more unsuccessful pounces, the cat gave up and began chasing its tail instead.

Tidus looked at the cat, who was beginning to run around in circles after its own tail, and laughed. "You're a silly kitty!" he exclaimed, giggling. He watched for a little while longer, a smile on his face, occasionally laughing some more.

After a bit the cat grew tired, and crawled in his lap, kneading his legs with its paws before settling down, curling its tail around its body. Tidus looked at it thoughtfully, gently stroking its fur as it napped. "I bet _you_ would cheer up Auron," he murmured. "You definitely made me feel better!"

Briefly, he wondered if Auron even _liked_ cats, but then dismissed the thought. Everybody liked cats, and it would cheer Auron up. Maybe Auron would even want them to keep the cat! Tidus had always wanted a pet, but the stupid old man that was his dad wouldn't allow it, saying that if he couldn't even kick a blitzball then he certainly couldn't take care of an animal. Well, Tidus would show him!

Carefully, he gathered the cat up off his lap and stood, holding it in his arms. It settled there peacefully, purring as it went back to sleep, and Tidus began to walk back to the houseboat.

Once he got home, he put the cat in his room, where it happily jumped up on his bed to sleep some more. Auron wasn't home, he had gone out for groceries, and Tidus didn't know when he would be back. He didn't mind though, it just meant he could pick the right time to surprise his guardian.

He looked at the cat on his bed. It reminded him a little of Auron, with its sleek black fur and amber coloured eyes. He hadn't paid attention before, but it even had a scar across its right eye, though the eye was still fine, unlike Auron's.

"You know, kitty, you need a name," he told it. "I hope you're a boy cat, 'cause I think I should call you Auron 2. Do you like that?"

The cat cracked open an eye and gazed at him for a moment, then promptly went back to sleep. Tidus laughed, because it seemed just like something his guardian would do. "Auron 2 it is, then," he said. "Now, I bet you'll be hungry when you wake up..."

He left his bedroom, shutting the door behind him, and then headed to the kitchen, rummaging through the cabinets for something he could give to Auron 2. There wasn't much, that _was_ why Auron had gone to the store...

Finally, he found a can of tuna in the back one of the cabinets, hiding behind a can of gross old beets, and pulled it out. Cats loved tuna, didn't they? He had seen it on a show on the holosphere before. He dragged a kitchen chair over to the counter, and very carefully climbed on it so he could use the can opener.

Once he had the food open, he dumped it in a bowl and took it back to his room, setting the bowl down on the floor. "There you go, Auron 2," he said. "Yummy tuna."

The cat opened his eyes again, looking at him, and then got up, jumping down from the bed and going over to the bowl. He began to eat hungrily, and Tidus realised that he probably didn't get much to eat as a stray. He felt bad for the cat, and wished he'd taken him in sooner. He also realised the cat would probably be thirsty, and ran back to the kitchen to grab a second bowl, filling it in the bathroom sink and setting it down beside the tuna.

He was just in time, too. From the other room he heard the front door open, and then Auron said, "I'm back," in a slightly raised voice. Tidus had noticed he never said much. It must have been because he was always so sad. Tidus couldn't wait for him to see Auron 2. He left the cat to eat, and ran out of his room to greet his guardian.

"Hi, Auron!" he said, smiling wide. Auron looked at him, a bit startled. Tidus thought that wherever Auron came from, there must not have been a lot of kids, because Auron always seemed as if he didn't quite know what to do around Tidus. He helped his guardian put away the groceries, and then Auron made them dinner and they ate. Afterwards, Auron made him take a bath, to which he made a face. He hated baths.

When he got done with his bath and went to go back in his bedroom, Auron was in the doorway, staring at Auron 2 who was once again curled up asleep on Tidus' pillow. "What is this?" he asked as Tidus came up behind him, squeezing through the small gap Auron had left to get in his bedroom.

Tidus looked at him. Auron didn't look _unhappy_ , but he didn't really look happy either. He looked... confused. Did they not have cats in Spira? "It's a kitty," Tidus said cautiously.

"I know that. Why is it here?"

"Well I was gonna surprise you with it," Tidus said dejectedly, sad that now his surprise was ruined. Why couldn't anything ever go right?

"It can't stay," Auron said immediately.

"What? No!" Tidus protested, horror stricken. He could feel tears threatening and did his best to hold them back. He wasn't a crybaby!

"We can't keep a cat, Tidus."

"I can't get rid of him!" Tidus cried, a few treacherous tears sneaking down his cheeks. He couldn't get rid of Auron 2! They were perfect each other, and he would cheer Auron up! Auron just didn't understand yet!

"I don't want to take care of a cat," Auron said, looking uncomfortable. He always got that way when Tidus started to cry. He wasn't very good at comfort, Tidus had already learned.

"You don't have to! I can take care of him!" Tidus pleaded.

"You're still young. You'll forget."

"I won't, I promise! Please, Auron, please don't make me get rid of him!" He was crying in earnest now, his face soaked with tears that he didn't bother to wipe away. He hated that he was crying, but he couldn't seem to help it. Auron just _couldn't_ make him get rid of Auron 2! Auron 2, for his part, seemed to sense Tidus' distress, and woke up, jumping down to come over to him and rub against his legs, curling his tail around him in a semblance of comfort.

Auron looked briefly down at the cat, and then back at his young charge, a hint of regret on his face. "Tidus, it's a not a good idea. You need to put him back where you got him."

"No, no, Auron, no! Don't make me! I won't!" He stamped his foot down to emphasis his point, knowing he was acting like a bit of brat now, but if that was what it took to keep Auron 2, then he'd do it.

"Tidus—"

"I got him to cheer you up!" Tidus yelled, sobbing. "I even named him Auron 2! He looks like you!"

A beat, and then— "Auron 2?"

"He looks like you," Tidus repeated, sniffling, his sobs abating a bit, choosing to ignore the incredulous tone in Auron's voice. "He's got black fur like your hair, and his eyes are amber and all dark, and he's even got a scar over the right one!"

"My eyes aren't dark," Auron protested automatically.

"Yes it is! Maybe not in the colour, but it's always so dark looking!"

Auron let out a sigh, and made his way over to Tidus' bed, sitting down on the edge of it and looking up at Tidus before him. "Why do you think I need cheering up?" he asked.

"You're so sad all the time," Tidus said, wiping at his eyes. "And you were sad even before my mom was gone, and you look like how I always feel now. I thought maybe you lost somebody you cared about too, and when I was sad my mom always tried to cheer me up, so I thought maybe I would cheer you up."

"Tidus..."

"I was going to make you dinner!" Tidus hurried to explain, not wanting Auron to tell him to get rid of the cat again. "But then I realised I don't know how to cook, or what you like to eat the best, and the kitty was there, and he made me feel better, so I thought he might make you feel better and he looks like you and I don't want to get rid of him! Please don't be sad anymore Auron!"

Auron was staring at him, looking... well, Tidus wasn't quite sure. Surprised, and maybe a bit pained, and like he didn't know what to say? It made Tidus' heart feel funny—he didn't like to see Auron looking like that. Auron was all he had left now, neither of them could afford to be sad anymore. Without thinking too much about it, he lurched forward and flung his arms around his guardian, catching him in a tight hug, curling his fists into his guardian's shirt. "Please don't be sad," he said again, his voice muffled by the shirt he was soaking with his renewed tears. "We only have each other now, we can't keep being sad."

Auron had stiffened when Tidus had first hugged him, but something in his words seemed to relax his guardian slightly, for he tentatively raised his arms up, bringing them around Tidus in an uncertain hug in return. "You're right," he said softly.

Auron 2 jumped up on the bed, butting his head into Auron's side. "Mrow?" he trilled quietly. Tidus thought it was another way the cat was like Auron—he didn't make much noise, except when he had to. Hesitantly, Auron reached down to pet the cat's head, scratching behind his ears. Auron 2 purred and rubbed against his hand.

Tidus finally pulled away from him, looking apologetically at the now wet spot on his shirt. "Sorry," he said in a small voice, but Auron just shrugged dismissively, still absently petting Auron 2. "So can we keep him?" Tidus asked, looking up at Auron with pleading eyes. "I'll take care of him, and he's really good for cheering up when you're feeling sad!"

Auron sighed, and Tidus' heart sank, sure that his guardian was about to still tell him no and make him get rid of it, but then Auron said, "I suppose."

"Really?" Tidus asked, eyes wide. "Thank you, Auron, thank you!" He threw his arms around Auron in another hug, squeezing him tightly before letting go.

Auron withstood the hug stoically, and then stood up when Tidus moved away. "You should be getting ready for bed soon."

Tidus made a face at him, but didn't argue, not when Auron had finally allowed him to keep Auron 2. Instead he just did as asked, shooing Auron out of his room so he could change into pajamas. Twenty minutes later, he'd done all his usual getting ready for bed stuff and went downstairs to Auron to tell him good night.

When he walked into the living room, Auron was sitting on the couch, petting Auron 2 who was curled up happily in his lap and purring so loud Tidus could hear him all the way across the room. Auron looked up when he walked in, his usual blank expression on his face, but Tidus had caught the content look (but not a smile, because Auron never smiled) that had been there when Auron had thought he was alone. For the first time, the shadows in Auron's dark eye had eased, just a little, and Tidus thought then that maybe Auron _would_ be okay. Auron had him, and Auron 2, and he didn't have to be sad anymore.

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Yes, Auron 2 is a horrible name. That's the point.


End file.
